I found the marriage of Ulysses and Drusilla in an early listing of Polk County, NC, marriage bonds, perfomed 9 Nov 1880 by AP Thompson, JP with Levi and Cynthia Arledge as witnesses, at Friendship Church in Tryon Twp.

In the Cross Index to Civil Issue Docket Book (Polk Co, NC), I find Drusilla Arledge, plaintiff and U. Arledge, defendant in Book 3, Action 5, pg 28, Box ST, 1901. This is probably a divorce suit. Then I have transcripts of judgement for two lawsuits in US District Court in Asheville. First involves JB Arledge, Ulyses Arledge and Columbus Constant, dated 3 May 1886. The United States as Plaintiff against the three above Defendants for sum of $200 plus interest and $21.07 court costs. Transcript dated 16 May 1911. Second suit the defendants were Wm. Parker, Ulyses Arledge and John Arledge, dated 1 Nov 1886, for sum of $300, etc. In both cases, judge was Robt. P. Dick. Transcribed 16 May 1911.

There is a 1900 Polk County Deed from Ulysees Arledge to Jackson Newman and John H. Johnson Deed Bk 16 p. 144 for 175 acres Little Cove Creek. Another deed from same two men *to* Ulysses Arledge for a tract on Little Cove Creek (Bk 16, p 249) also in 1900. Another deed in 1907 from Antonia, Ulysees and T.W. Arledge to J.B. Arledge (Bk 24, p 550) for 150 acres on Green River. A 1911 grant to U.S. Arledge from JH and Nora Gibbs (36/31) for 50 a. adj WA Willard. Then a deed to US Arledge from W.O. Dillard (13/252) in 1918 for 41 acres ColumbusTwp.

There are many listings for Ulysses in the Polk County Miscellaneous Index, perhaps related to moonshining. It seems to have been a rough life, living beyond the edge of the law. There are listings for Ulysses in 1871, 1874, 1877, 1878; from 1879-1883 there is a long list including assault and larceny, then more for retailing and assault in

1884-5, then more in 1887-1892... He was quiet for about 2 years, then more listings in 1894, 1899 (assault and battery) then the 1900 divorce case by Drusilla against Ulysses with judgements in 1901-2. Then there is a Soldiers Application for Pension in 1909.

From Jerry Harris on 11 May 1999:

I read through the divorce file on Drucilla Alewine Arledge vs. Ulysses Arledge at the NC Archives last week. Grant Arledge (28), my grandmother Elizabeth Arledge (21), Basil Arledge (16), and Drucilla's brother Thomas P. Alewine provided supporting statements in May 1897. The case was filed on/about 1 May 1897. The case was continued from Polk County Superior Court term to term and does not appear on the docket after the Spring Term 1901. It does not appear that divorce and/or alimony were ever granted.

Your July 28, 1998, notes were most helpful as we visited Columbus Register of Deeds office in June of this year. The court records had been transferred to the NC Archives. The 2 US Western District lawsuits and judgements (re: moonshine) records are apparently in the National Archives branch in Atlanta. Where did you find the Soldiers Application for Pensions in 1909 filed by Ulysses Arledge?

It looks like to me that he was named Ulysses from the beginning. The spelling differences are due to the capabilities of the census takers. What do you think?

From Jerry Harris 3 December 1999 on the question of whether Ulysses Arledge was named for General and President Ulysses S. Grant:

I looked it up in The World Book and found that Ulysses was named Hiram Ulysses Grant by his parents, but they always caled him "Ulysses" or "Lyss". The Congressman who appointed Ulysses to West Point thought that Ulysses was the first name and that his middle name was his mother's maiden name (Simpson). He made the appointment as Ulysses Simpson Grant and Ulysses never corrected the mistake. Ulysses graduated from West Point in 1843 and was stationed in St Louis. In 1844 his regiment went to Louisiana. I don't know how his name was know to Levi and Cynthia, when Ulysses Arledge was born in 1844.

Ulysses Arledge's first child was named Grant (Born 1869). Ulysses S. Grant was elected President in 1868, serving 1869 - 1877.

Polk County deeds and legal documents say "U. S. Arledge" or various spellings of "Ulysses" Arledge. I have not found his name as Ulysses S. Grant Arledge except in a contributed LDS record. Where did you find "Grant " in his name?

I don't think he was named after Ulysses S. Grant based on our previous notes.

From: Jerry S. Harris" 6 Jan 2000:

I looked up the Spring Term 1901 Polk County Civil Issue Docket referenced in your note when I was studying the Drucilla Arledge versus Ulysses Arledge divorce papers. The Spring Term 1901 had the disposition of "Continued" and no later terms picked up this case. Since Drucilla was in a state of poverty when the suit was filed in Fall Term 1898 and it was continued each term thereafter, I think she must have given up on getting divorced. It's interesting that they were buried side by side (in my Grandparents Sanders plot) even though they had not lived together since May 1897 when Ulysses

kicked Drucilla and her minor children Basil and Blaine out of the house. I think I have found one of the "black sheep" of my family. Have you discoverd other stories about Ulysses?